


The Most Painful Moments

by Quick5TheGuy



Series: Earth-2002 [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Drabble, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Introspection, No Dialogue, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-19 11:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22810009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quick5TheGuy/pseuds/Quick5TheGuy
Summary: To this day, it was the most painful experience of his life, and he still waits for something that will surpass it.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson/Bruce Wayne
Series: Earth-2002 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639369
Kudos: 12





	The Most Painful Moments

Dick Grayson was 11 years old the first time he broke his leg. It was a stunt gone wrong. The guy in charge of setting up the trapeze was fired rather quickly after. He’d spent a few weeks in pain at the closest hospital. Mom and dad stayed by his side all the way through. At the time, it was the most painful experience of his life.

Dick Grayson was 13 years old the first time he was stabbed. It was the first time he’d had an encounter with Victor Zsasz, and to say that he was unprepared would be an understatement. Sure, he’d fought a few mobsters, thugs, and costumed loons, but a serial killer...that was out of his league. Even so, he was willing to try and take him out, despite the warnings of both Bruce and Alfred. It took 4 cut wounds on his arms and a butcher knife piercing his thigh to teach him a lesson about chasing psychos. At the time, it was the most painful experience of his life, and it was the closest he had come to death. 

Dick Grayson was 16 years old the first time he was shot. He and Bruce had responded to a reported break-in at the Cyrus Pinkney Natural History Museum. As it turns out, the Joker was after a diamond necklace. It had some name relating to death or smiling or something Joker would like. The diamonds didn’t matter in the end. What did matter was that Joker had murdered every guard in that museum and had to pay for his crimes. Dick thought he’d taken the clown by surprise, but he underestimated Joker’s perceptiveness. The bullet tearing through the muscle, sinew, and bone of his arm was agonizing beyond belief, but that wasn’t the worst part of that night. That was the last night he spent as Bruce’s ward. At the time, it was the most painful experience of his life, and it was the closest he had come to death. 

Dick Grayson was 25 when he lost his father for the second time. Darkseid used his Omega Beams to sear Bruce’s flesh from his bones. Taking up the mantle of Batman was one of the hardest decisions he’d ever made. Whenever he put on the cowl his head felt heavier than a pound of lead. Unfortunately, no matter how heavy the cowl was, Gotham needed a Batman, even if the one under the mask didn’t deserve it. To this day, it was the most painful experience of his life, and he still waits for something that will surpass it.

When Bruce Wayne miraculously returned from his trip through time, Dick felt as though a thousand pounds had been lifted from his shoulders. He had the weight of Gotham on his shoulders, and it had returned to its’ rightful owner. Dick could not say that he came out of his stint as Batman the same person. He kept thinking about all the times he’d been hurt deeper than ever before. He remembered them all with vivid detail, and he had to wonder why. 

Maybe it was because he took something away from each brush with death he encountered. Maybe it was because each one helped build him into the man he is today. He may never know, but what he does know is that he hopes that nothing will ever surpass the most painful moment of his life...


End file.
